The BANDHOPPER does not have any 'wander leads' or jumpers that have to be moved when changing frequencies. Frequency changes are accomplished by moving the adjustable tuning knob up or down referenced to a built-in scale. Tuning on the Remote Tuned version is accomplished by moving the up/down switch on the remote control console.

The BANDHOPPER has non-inductive shrink tubing over the coil portion which provides weather protection as well as handsome appearance. The diameter of the antenna is 1-1/8" at it's widest point. On the remote tune-version the bottom 6 inches is 2-1/4 inches in diameter. This allows for a very neat appearing, low wind resistance installation. (Most wives do NOT object to the appearance of this antenna....it really looks sharp!)

Every BANDHOPPER is numbered and comes with a 1-year warranty on parts and workmanship. In the unlikely event that something should fail in the antenna, simply return it to us for repair or replacement

BANDHOPPER MT (Manual tune model)

Over-all length ----------102" (with standard 48" whip)
Mounting method -------Standard 3/8 by 24 stud
Storage length ----------54 1/2" with whip detached
Warranty ---------------One year on Darts and workmanship
Cost (U.S.) -------------$345.00 f.o.b. Clancy, Mt.
*prices subject to change without notice

BANDHOPPER RT (Remote tuned model)

Over-all length -----------108" (with standard 48" whip)
Mounting method --------Standard 3/8 by 24 stud
Storage length -----------60" with whip detached
Warranty ----------------One year on parts and workmanship
Cost (U.S.) --------------$395.00 f.o.b. Clancy, Mt.
*prices subject to change without notice

SPECIFICATIONS:

FREQUENCY ---------- S.W.R ------------ 2:1 BANDWIDTH
3.660 MHz -------------- 1.05:1 ------------- 50 kHz
3.890 MHz -------------- 1.1:1 -------------- 46 KHz
7.220 MHz -------------- 1.35:1--------------100 KHz
14.308 MHz ------------- 1.0:1 -------------- 2.1 MHz
28.5 MHz ----------------1.0:1 -------------- 3.0 MHz

GENERAL BANDHOPPER MEASUREMENTS

The above measurements were made in 1993 using a Kenwood TS-940S transceiver with the BANDHOPPER antenna mounted 18" above ground through 42 feet of RG-8X coax. Your measurements may vary depending upon your particular mounting configuration and how close the coil portion is to near by metal surfaces.

The RT requires a control box and a relay box. Schematics and Parts list (Radio Shack) are shown elsewhere. Price list found here. This is called 'CONTROLS'.   We encourage ham construction and have enclosed drawings to help you build your own. The finished boxes can be supplied if desired. Only thing you will need is 6 conductor interconnecting cable from your drivers area to the relay box, and 2 conductor cable from the relay box to the antenna. Rotor cable and lamp cord will work or we sell complete cable assemblies, shown elsewhere. The finished relay box should be compatible with the automatic frequency tuning articles described in numerous radio magazines.

Are you linked to our site? Let us know & we'll return the favor... Would you like an Email link? A website link? We really want to hear from you.

TUNING YOUR BANDHOPPER:

The tuning chart, shown elsewhere, is an approximation of the adjuster logging scale settings versus frequency.Your particular installation will determine how closely you come to these settings. They are shown in inches, measured up from the lower slot edge. The logging scale has 1/4 inch markings and numbering for convenience. It is recommended you mark your favorite frequencies with permanent felt marker. Filing a notch is not advised as it will start rusting and the frequency may change if you move to another vehicle. If you are unable to set resonance on the top of the 10 meter band then repeatedly nip 1/8inch off the lower end of the whip and try it again. Preset the BANDHOPPER adjustment knob to your frequency. Tune up your transmitter into a dummy load on the LOWEST power setting your SWR meter will respond to. Usually a watt or so will do. Switch to the BANDHOPPER coax. Keeping this low power setting, Key the transmitter and turn the TUNING or VFO or FREQUENCY control until the SWR meter shows the lowest reading. This is your BANDHOPPER resonant frequency. To raise this frequency, raise the adjusting knob. On some cramped installations additional. capacitance may be desired to lower the SWR to absolute zero and is usually supplied by our 'CONTROLS' or the tuners most hams use to QSY around the band. We have rated the coil for 600 watts PEP. This was to allow a safety factor for the healthiest barefoot operation imaginable. Some owners have reported power handling abilities exceeding 1 Kw. It is nice to know the unit will handle it, but until we have had the chance for prolonged operation under high power, we would rather you stay within limits.

The upper section is sealed and will allow normal condensation drainage from its lower fitting. If you notice cuts in the fabric then electrical tape would be a quick way to seal it. We have replacement heat shrinkable sleeving if desired. The lower section has been nickel plated for weather resistance and electrical conductivity. Our plater was not able to guarantee the inner surfaces so if you notice any roughness in the slider operation, then a few squirts of WD-40 or '3-in-One' oil should smooth things up again. The same should apply if any corrosion becomes noticeable.

The unit has been made as simple and reliable as possible. If you find your garage door has gotten in the way of your antenna or require replacement parts then give us a call. We will repair your unit in any condition but must insist that it has not been disassembled for the one year warranty to apply. If you should require service then call, write, or email for a 'RETURN AUTHORIZATION'  number. Pack the unit securely. Have it insured and tape a piece of lath full box length to the outside. Then if the stick has been broken we can notify the carrier before opening. We have had to do this for international shipments and it has worked out well.

NEW MOBILE BASE MOUNTS

Responding to feedback from the owners has caused us to search for a heavy duty mobile mount to use with the MT and RT models. The 'Outbacker' folks have a very..heavy..duty.. mount but the spring cannot be removed and used (non-standard thread) and has the wrong fitting on the mount end.We do not recommend using a spring of any kind with the BANDHOPPER antennas. The reason is they will swing back and forth on the spring possibly hitting near-by objects and the SWR will be 'all over the place'. There are other mounts out there but they only support about 5/8 inch of base area. The MT has a 1-1/8 inch base and the RT has a 2 1/4inch. For maximum strength and support one should use all the available area. The old adage "If you want it done right then you have to do it yourself" seems to be true. Therefore we will be supplying heavy duty mobile mounts of our own design. The drawings are shown elsewhere. They are Aluminum for weight and weathering consideration, 'T-6 grade' as this is the hardest tempering we can buy. And will be compatible with most of the other 3/8-24 threaded antennas on the market.

Some users have been putting washers under the base to cause the antenna to be in a different rotational position when tight. This was to allow the logging scale to be visible from the drivers view. Washers are not recommended as they usually come in one thickness, will reduce the number of threads holding the antenna and also reduce the base contact area. The new mounts will allow rotating of the base/mount together by loosening the lover nut with a 3/4 inch wrench. SO-239 female antenna connector will be the standard lower fitting. We can supply a '10-32 screw' base for bare wire coax installations if desired.

The new 160 meter transforming coil for the MT is 14 inches long, 11/8 Inch outside diameter. It has a male 3/8- 24 threaded stud on the bottom, and female 3/8-24 threaded hole on the top. Our replacement for the 'Outbacker' style of side coax mount is shown as MOUNT 7. If you will send us a sketch we will be glad to fabricate special mounts for your particular application.

The weather shields we use can be bought at building supply or electrical supply stores under the name of florescent tubing protectors. They cost about $6 for 8 foot lengths and come with plastic ends. Tin snips or large scissors cut them nicely. Thanks go to Chris, KD4EUQ for that idea.

CONSIDERATIONS ON USE WITH LINEAR AMPLIFIERS

There is a certain reluctance for us to encourage linear operation.Here is what must be considered. The Antenna has been tested and run at the 1 KW level repeatedly and the coil area was just barely warm to the touch. Most all transceivers today have SWR detect circuitry which will start reducing output power when the SWR starts to come up. This is a nice feature for mobile operation as the transceiver/antenna can be tuned for maximum collector amps and Max power will be radiated. HOWEVER WHEN A LINEAR AMP IS ADDED TO THE SYSTEM THE TRANSCEIVER NO LONGER KNOWS WHAT THE ANTENNA SWR IS. Reason is the transceiver cannot see past the amplifiers input stage. The operator must be certain the antenna has been tuned BEFORE switching the linear on. This is sometimes forgotten when QSY'ing around the band. The antenna is a variable auto-transformer which transforms the low base voltage, high current, to a high voltage, low current, at the tip of the whip. This can be seen at night as a corona under certain humidity conditions. When the frequency is changed and the antenna is not tuned for the change the high voltage can appear along the coil instead of the whip tip. Under high power and SWR mismatch you can damage the windings. This will show up as intermittent reception or being unable to tune bands below the bad spot. Also the upper may show a shiny spot if it has tried to melt the covering. If this happens the only thing to do is return it for repair. Remember Tune your antenna first then turn on your amplifier. Our 'CONTROLS'  has switched capacitors to allow you to do this without having to use an external antenna tuner.

Concerning maintenance: Run the indicating screw to the top, Squirt WD-40, 3-in-1 oil, or diesel fuel into the slot, covering the full length of the lead screw. Then run the screw to the bottom and squirt the inner surfaces. This washes out any dust and lubricates the running parts. The excess will drain out at the bottom of the slot. Then wiping off the exterior surfaces is all that's ever needed. Treat it like a gun or fishing reel and it will last for many years. The weather shield will add greatly to its lifetime. Keep the top taped but the bottom open to allow moisture to drain out.

In the event you suspect problems in the control/relay boxes the antenna can be run with two flashlight batteries in series to the connect or at the base. (3 volts). If there is anything you can think of to make this a better product then tell us. We will all benefit and you will get credit for it.

If you would like to download this or other information
in a complete text file, or pdf file go here

< BACK  NEXT >